


The Magnolia King

by PAPERSK1N



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Achievement Hunter Kings, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Dark Magic, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mad King Ryan, Magic-Users, Mavin, Minecraft!AU, Mogar, Politics, Raywood, Royal Politics, Shameless Smut, Team lads!, courting, jack/geoff friendship, kings!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 20:24:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8071510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PAPERSK1N/pseuds/PAPERSK1N
Summary: Achievement City was the beautiful center of The Achievement Lands, and sat directly on the throne was King Geoff Ramsey, First of his name. With his oldest friend as his adviser, and three rambunctious princes with very different heritages, Geoff has always got a lot on his hands.When an old friend from the Dark Realms stops through town for a visit, things only grow more complicated. James Ryan Haywood the Third, Dark God of the Dark Realms and its Land, otherwise known as; The Mad King has been one of Geoff's oldest friends from when they were just boys. However, Geoff knows of Ryan's mindset and reputation. So, when he begins to develop an interest in Ray, the darling Rose of the kingdom, he grows cautious. Because what could a king like Ryan possibly want with a young prince like Ray? And more importantly, how would Geoff ever be able to stop them?Complete !





	1. Achievement City

**Author's Note:**

> This is my new fic! I always said I'd cave and do a Minecraft King's AU, even if it has been done to death. Hope you like my take on it!

The Magnolia King

 

 

Achievement City was a vibrant hub of life and craft in the very centre of the Achievement Lands. It’s once meadow of grassy biomes was the most industrialised in the land, impossibly tall buildings and statues, sculptures and miraculous fortresses designed initially for fighting but used most often for games and entertainment. It was a jovial space of land amidst the wider regions, each split into sections ruled over by different families for generations upon generations.

King Ramsey owned the Achievement Lands as a whole, including Achievement City. However, the way rulers were selected and honoured was an age old tradition that nobody dared to defy- so among the wider regions he was significantly less powerful, and thankful for it. The last thing he needed was _more_ responsibility.

Geoff lived in Achievement City just as he had when he was a boy- only now that he was king he resided in a tall, stone building- the highest the land had ever seen. It had taken almost a year to complete with Geoff himself assisting the production. It was monstrous and ghastly and a stain on the landscape at first, but under his ruling- more and more of Achievement City found itself being built up and created upon. Geoff Ramsey loved his people- and he appreciated nothing more than providing beautiful architecture he and Gavin (amongst others) had designed first hand for them to admire and participate in.

In the centre of Achievement City where his tower sat, just on the edge of the giant flag- he lived happily. Most of the actual work was done in the throne room, a giant open air stadium where his golden throne was tall and grandiose, and the people of the lands could approach him freely and without judgement. The throne wasn’t much of a seat at all- more of a structure and beside him on it often sat Jack Pattillo- his closest friend and trusted advisor.

So of course, it was Jack who shared the news with him that Ryan had sent word that he had agreed to come over and pay Achievement City a long awaited visit. Ryan, or _The Mad King_ as he was commonly known to the people, was the king of the snow biomes, residing far out in the corners of the map. To the civilians, Ryan was someone of great power to be feared. He was an expert with ancient magicks and enchantments, with ice in his gaze and a penchant for ruthless violence. To Geoff- Ryan was an old friend he’d fought strongly against in the trials that won him is throne in the first place. Geoff had barely scraped by Ryan’s raw talent but had taken advantage of his failure to persist. That was where Ryan often lost a lot of things- he had absolutely no patience.

“That’s great.” Geoff smiled as Jack told him the news with an unreadable expression. He frowned. “It’s great, isn’t it?”

“For us? Sure.” Jack nodded. “We might finally get that peace treaty signed. But the people are terrified of him, Geoff- you know that. If anyone gets wind he’s coming in before he arrives it’ll cause a riot.”

“Please.” Geoff waved a hand dismissively. “It’s all just petty rumours. They’ll get over it.”

“I suppose so.” Jack sighed. “Also, Gavin’s complaining about… something, probably. He was whining about you to Michael and Ray tattled so keep an eye on him.”

Geoff rolled his eyes at the mention of Gavin’s name. Technically- or at least, in the eyes of the people and the kingdom Gavin was his son. Really, Gavin was a kid raised in the forest with creepers that Geoff had stumbled across, not long before he became king. Then, he was put forwards for the trials and thrusted into the spotlight with a toddler already in his arms. People assumed Gavin was just his bastard child and would likely be the next candidate for the throne when Geoff stepped down.

And Geoff wanted to assume this too- but Gavin, as usual had other ideas. He had strange interests, mostly involving archery and a certain bear-warrior. Also, he was a loveable thorn in the thigh- continuously irritating and dangerously unpredictable. But Geoff couldn’t help it. He loved the kid.

Geoff loved Gavin as a son- but then Michael and later, Ray had been introduced to the kingdom and he found himself half-adopting two other kids along the way. Michael- or _Mogar_ , as they first had been introduced was a warrior prince from the wild people out in the jungle biomes. However, a brutal forest fire had ravaged his habitat, leaving him and a cluster of others the only survivors of their people when they were pulled out of the fire by Geoff’s knights.

And one of them, unknown to him, had been _Gavin_ \- barely seventeen when he snuck out to assist the kings guard. He had laid eyes on Michael- his skin black from smoke and his eyes wild and feral and had fallen in love instantly, not that he’d ever admit it. Years had passed with Michael becoming a full-fledged member of his court and every time Geoff brought it up Gavin would blush furiously and tell him it _wasn’t like that_.

The only person sicker of it than him was most probably Ray- The Rose Prince, as he was most fondly known (to his own dismay). Ray had been the darling of the flower kingdom in his youth, existing out in the meadows not far from Achievement City. But their ruler had been foolish- more interested in alcohol than the people and civil war ravaged the kingdom before it was over thrown by rebels. Geoff, as king of not only Achievement City but the whole of the land couldn’t sit back and stand it- so he sent as many men as he could gather and took over the entire kingdom, making it part of his. Ray was the only survivor of royal blood- a wisp of a boy at barely twenty with skinny limbs and matching dark hair and eyes, far from fit to be king. Gavin and Michael took one look at him and begged Geoff to let him stay in the court, so Geoff- soft even to Gavin’s whiny demands took the boy in and let him keep his title.

But it worked. Geoff liked Michael and Ray- Michael was an excellent fighter who never gave up and Ray was pretty handy with a sword and a bow himself, plus, they kept Gavin occupied. And the less time he had Gavin breathing down his neck- the better.

“Geoff! Geoff!”

Geoff rolled his eyes to see Gavin, bumbling into court waving a piece of paper in his hands. Michael and then Ray weren’t that far behind him, but entered in a much more respectable fashion, politely bowing as they had been taught and remaining silent, waiting for Geoff’s word to speak.

Gavin had no care for such trivial things as _etiquette_.

“Your _best mate_ Ryan’s wrote you a letter.” Gavin announced, skipping up the steps to the throne two at a time to hand deliver it. Geoff looked to Jack, who rolled his eyes and shrugged before standing up, and taking the letter from Gavin.

“Thank you, son!” he announced loudly, hoping his audience of citizens couldn’t sense the irritation on his tongue. “Now go on- have fun with your friends. Mogar. Rose Prince.” He nodded at them both separately, as they bowed on one knee with their heads dipped and muttered a custom _my king_ , before straightening again. Gavin grinned.

“Cool. See you later, old man.” He teased. Geoff bit his lip, trying his hardest not to crack a smile. Gavin made it so hard to be annoyed sometimes. The kid was just effortlessly charming- it was incredibly annoying. Gavin could break every rule in the book and Geoff knew he would be there to laugh along with him as the kingdom came crashing down.

But, the citizens couldn’t know that. It was far too late for secrecy regarding Ryan’s arrival as Gavin skipped off with Michael and Ray following, so with a brief look toward Jack, who nodded, Geoff was pulled a sharp letter opener from the inside of his cloak, and speared the envelope open.

 _“My dearest friend, Geoff.”_ He read, aloud.

 

“ _I regret to inform you that my father’s once most trusted advisor, and then mine, has died. It is with great sorrow that I write you this letter. However, in the Dark Lands we know how to deal with death so we will live on. I am greatly excited to see you and your people tomorrow, when I shall arrive on horseback with crates of gifts and produce._

_Until then. James Ryan Haywood the Third, Dark God of the Dark Realms and its Land, otherwise known as; The Mad King.”_

 

“Propaganda?” He whispered to Jack. His advisor nodded, rolling his eyes.

“Excellent news, as you all heard!” Geoff announced loudly to the no longer smiling faces below him. “King Ryan will be here soon. Then, finally, we may be able to draft a peace treaty protecting ourselves and each other from harm for the next forty years.”

“-and a banquet.” Jack muttered.

“And a banquet!” Geoff yelled. “Yes, my people! I would like to announce that a regal banquet is being held in honour of this momentous occasion and you are all welcome to join the festivities as the formal dance which shall take place afterwards. Good day.”

“Good day, my king!” They chorused in unison, just before the knights assembled to escort them out. Geoff waited for the last smiling citizen to leave and the ivory gates to close before he collapsed on the cushioned chair placed on top of the throne and pulled his grown off.

“It gets creepier and creepier every time they chant it.” Jack laughed. Geoff glared at him.

“Is this bullshit real?” he waved the letter from Ryan around vaguely. “About his dad’s advisor- that old croon. He really kicked the bucket?”

“That’s what I’ve heard.” Jack nodded. “Ryan should be pleased- that guy’s the one who was holding him back from keeping so much peace in their kingdom. It’ll be good if he’s gone.”

“Indeed.” Geoff relaxed, reaching for his golden cup of unsweetened wine. He took a refreshing sip and smiled at the tart taste. “Hopefully Ryan won’t cause too much trouble with his new found freedom.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The trumpets blared and Geoff felt himself groan, the piercing shrieks pounding his head and waking him suddenly. His chamber was located on as small raised platform right at the back of his concrete tower but he had still heard the trumpets as clearly as if the musicians were at the foot of his bed. Clearly, it only meant one thing.

Ryan was here.

Even Gavin, bitterly so was at the parade of an entrance, wearing his crown for once and bowing in all the right places beside Michael and Ray. Ryan was lead in first on a pure black horse and followed by another fifty, ridden by knights and pulling crates filled with tropical birds and flowers and spell books and foods. It was an extortionate amount of stuff- but then, Ryan had never done things small.

He dismounted his horse in one fluid motion, velveteen cape draped over his shoulders and golden, slashed crown askew on his brow. He smirked around him at the people bowing for a few more seconds before nodding for them all to stand. It was mostly Geoff’s knights and dignitaries, the only people not bowing being Geoff himself and then, just behind him, Jack.

“Ryan.” He smiled tiredly, as everyone got to their feet. “How good to see you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“So, Ryan.” Jack’s spoon thudded against the wooden bowl of soup. “I trust you had a good journey.”

“It rained the second day.” Ryan said. He ate disgustingly, shoving hunks of meat and mouthfuls of soup into his mouth at rapid pace, chewing frantically as if it was the first meal he’d seen in a week. Geoff rolled his eyes and slid another napkin over in Ryan’s direction, knowing all too well the savage table manners of the Dark Realm citizens.

“Gavin said it would do that, didn’t you Gav?” Geoff nodded from the head of the table. All eyes turned to the creeper-boy prince, who merely shrugged and sipped from his drink.

“It’s science, you see. If you document the clouds patterns over a solar period of about four days, you can predict the outcome of the weather by calibrating the angle-”

“-enough.” Ryan interrupted him. “I don’t need a five-minute lecture on meteorology. How long has it been since you picked up a spell-book?”

“I don’t believe much in practicing magic anymore.” Gavin mumbled. Ryan laughed, loudly and curtly.

“And why is that, may I ask?”

Gavin glared at his food, refusing to meet Ryan’s steely gaze. “It’s primitive.” He muttered. “Outdated, dangerous. Unpredictable, to say the least.”

“Only if you’re doing it wrong.”

Geoff watched the tension at the table build until his stomach turned. Jack was staring frantically between him and Ryan. Gavin’s eyes were fixated on his plate, and Michael’s fists were curled around his cutlery so tightly that they became even paler as he glared at Ryan. The only one who had no reaction was Ray, absentmindedly chewing on a mushroom as he gazed distractedly out of the window.

“So anyway.” Jack eventually cut the silence. “Ryan. Your advisor- he died?”

“Yes.” Ryan leant back, wiping his hands and his mouth on the silk napkin Geoff had given him. “Finally got out of my way. He was really holding me back- honestly, he was so against this peace treaty.” He rolled his eyes. “You know I killed my dad what… fifteen years ago now? I’ve been king for so long- but some of those old school royalists, they were still so loyal to him- they’d rather listen to his advisor than to me. I’m glad he’s dead now so I can make some real difference.”

Geoff didn’t flinch like the princes did when Ryan casually mentioned the cold blooded murder of his own father. He and Jack were more than familiar with the brutish traditions of the colder biomes- and to Ryan it was nothing but normal dinner conversation. The next reigning monarch, usually the king or queen’s first son would slay their predecessor and take their throne. That’s what Ryan had grown up with, and being the only child- it was his duty to carry on the family bloodline.

Not that his father hadn’t put up a good fight. As far as Geoff knew, Ryan still had the scars across his back from where he’d been whipped after his first failed attempt to kill him by slitting his throat in his sleep. Apparently, in Ryan’s world- any death that wasn’t in battle or wildly painful at least was considered unworthy. For Ryan to want such a thing as almost painless peace for his father, he had to be punished.

Gavin didn’t look so hungry anymore.

“I really feel that this alliance will be in everyone’s best interest.” Ryan continued, oblivious to the reaction he received from the younger end of the table. “If there is any kind of war or attack… our armies together would be wondrously ruthless.” His eyes sparkled at the notion of war and Geoff huffed, keeping his thoughts to himself as best as he could.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“He’s creepy.”

“He’s alright! You’re just a baby Gav.” Michael teased. “Never seen bloodshed in your god damn life.”

The three of them, the ‘lads’ as Geoff so fondly called them, where holed up in Gavin’s stone corner masterpiece of a house, laid out together on the bed surrounded by the countless artworks Geoff had collected over his many years. How every single portrait ended up in Gavin’s house, Ray would never understand, Gavin just had a way of winning the king over in a way that nobody else could.

“He’s creepy, isn’t he Ray?” he insisted. Ray shrugged.

“I don’t know.” He said, truthfully. “He seems… powerful, for sure. A typical king, I guess. I didn’t take much else in.”

“Whatever.” Gavin rolled his eyes. “Ryan is a creep. Stay away from him.”

“Don’t tell him that.” Michael shoved Gavin gently, but enough to make him almost lose his balance over the edge of the bed. “Ray, look.” Michael looked over, ignoring Gavin trying to cling onto his back to pull himself more securely on the bed. “Ryan’s scary as shit- but he’s a nice guy deep down. I’ve met him a couple’a times and he’s always been good to me.”

“Yeah?” Gavin smirked. “Brutes stick together I suppose.”

Michael shoved Gavin roughly so he was on the floor again before he pounced. Within seconds, they were wrestling and laughing as Gavin continued to shout about Ryan and Ray staid laid out on Gavin’s soft bed, wondering how someone with eyes as beautiful as Ryan’s could be apparently so dangerous.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Creepy.”

_“Nice.”_

The pair were still bickering as they made their way out to the centre of Achievement City until Jack hissed for them to stop. Ray took his place, bowed in the procession next to his foster brothers as the crowds gathered behind ropes and the Mad King’s parade began.

It was nothing more than a stupid tradition designed for Ryan to show off his power and his riches- the extravagant shining gifts he had graced upon Geoff’s people being led through the crowd for them to coo at. The only reason Jack had suggested the idea at all was because Ryan was so completely feared by their people, and they wanted nothing less than any kind of opposition to Ryan’s kind offer of peace.

The procession ended with Ryan, riding into the centre of achievement city on a horse that was completely back, strappingly tall with fierce hooves and ingrained muscle. Ray recognised it straight away by the cow-skin saddle. This was _Edgar XII,_ the most relevant in a long line of Ryan’s kept pets- something he was famous for.

Ryan said a few words to appease the crowd before the farce was over and they filed out one by one until only the original six of them remained at the centre of the flag, Gavin reaching forwards to stroke Edgar affectionately before the horse snapped at him, attempting to chew at his fingers as if they were treats.

“Even your bloody horse hates me!” He whined, but Ryan only chuckled in reply and ruffled Gavin’s hair fondly with a heavy hand. Then, once Gavin had wriggled out of his grip and started chatting to Michael, Ryan allowed his eyes to fall on Ray.

He had a swallowing gaze, and Ray felt himself squirming as Ryan watched him silently, the slightest smirk playing on his face. Geoff and Jack had been talking to him, but he had stopped listening all together in favour of staring at Ray until the king and his advisor took notice.

“Ryan?”

“Right, sorry.” Ryan looked away quickly, taken off guard for the first time in his visit. For a second, Ray thought he could see the slightest hint of a blush on the dark king’s face. “What were you saying.”

There was the slightest frown playing on Geoff’s face as he glanced briefly between Ray and Ryan, before he nodded over to the tower and suggesting they continued their discussion in private. That left the lads in the centre of the city, Edgar being led away by one of Ryan’s many hands the minute the kings disappeared together.

“ _What_ was that?!” Gavin demanded, once the others were out of earshot. Ray’s eyes widened.

“I… I don’t know. It was nothing.” He said, staring at the back of Ryan’s cape as he was lead inside the tower by Geoff and Jack.

“Oh my god.” Michael said softly, waving his hands in front of Ray’s face to catch his attention. “Don’t tell me you’ve got a crush on him, Ray- you _sly_ dog!”

“I don’t.” Ray frowned. “He was just _staring_ at me. I don’t know why.”

“He _likes_ you!” Gavin exclaimed, poking Ray teasingly in the soft material covering his chest. “I’m calling it now. Ryan _likes_ you!”

“Whatever.” Ray rolled his eyes, shrugging off the subject. “Think what you want. I doubt a fucking King like Ryan would want anything to do with a shitty little technical prince like me.”

“Ray.” Michael rubbed his head with a smile. “Don’t fucking undersell yourself. You’re a total catch and Ryan would be fucking lucky if Geoff even let him get anywhere near you after that.”

“It’s true.” Ray faked a grin, even though he didn’t believe it for a second. “I am a solid ten out of ten.”


	2. The Man Behind the Myth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray gets to know Ryan a little better.

That night, a small, private banquet was held in the restaurant Geoff had commissioned to be built for the royals and the citizens alike to dine in. Idiotically, he had let Gavin name it- so _Le Geoff’s_ sat out in the North West of Achievement City, and was cleared out to have a feast in honour of Ryan finally coming to visit.

The top floor was made exclusive for Ryan, Geoff, Jack and the three princes- along with a few of their close, personal friends to eat at. Gavin spent the night either gagging at Ryan shoving food in his mouth or flirting shamelessly with Michael after a few too many glasses of wine, leaving Ray to sit slumped with his chin rested against his hands, picking at his plate of food quietly.

A few hours of polite conversation passed before Ray excused himself out to the private balcony that sat at the top of the restaurant, completely unaware that he was being followed.

“Prince?”

Ray fought off the blush on his cheeks as Ryan’s deep voice shook him from behind and the King came to join him on the balcony.

“My King.” He nodded.

“Ray.” Ryan smiled. “Please, let’s leave the formalities for the throne room. I’m Ryan, you know that.”

“We’ve never met before.” Ray shrugged. “Figured my best bet was being polite.” He leaned forwards on the high railed balcony, ignoring the instinctive need to get as close to Ryan as possible. Ray couldn’t help but bite the inside of his cheeks. Ryan was the perfect specimen of a man, really- tall and strapping with a broad chest and a long winded title and a sharp brow. Ryan could do it all, apparently- talk and fight and write and draw and perform. He was the greatest King his land had seen in a long _long_ time, and by the amount he had heard from Geoff and Jack and Michael and Gavin since he had joined their kingdom, Ray couldn’t lie and say he hadn’t been excited to finally meet the man behind the myth.

“Formalities aside.” Ryan leant on the balcony beside him, close enough that Ray could feel Ryan’s firm upper arm against his shoulder. “What’re you doing out here all alone?”

“It’s a bit much.” Ray shrugged. “People… feasts… parties. Not really my thing.” He explained.

Surprisingly, Ryan nodded. “Me either.” He said. “I always hated this kind of thing but it was drilled into me at a young age what I was and wasn’t supposed to enjoy. People… feasts… parties… alcohol- they were never my style until I became King and had no other choice.”

“Really?” Ray straightened. He wondered for a moment if maybe, he and Ryan had a little more in common than he first thought.

“You and I… maybe we’re more alike than you think.” Ryan confirmed his thought as he reached forwards without hesitation and held Ray’s chin, tilting his head up slightly. “Did I tell you that I find you incredibly captivating, Ray?”

“No.” Ray blushed. “Uh… thanks, I guess.”

“You know...” Ryan flirted so effortlessly, that it made Ray frustrated. They’d barely exchanged a few words to each other, and he already felt the urge to tiptoe up and kiss the King on his thin pink mouth. He was far too good at charming people and obviously far too used to having things exactly the way he wanted. “We could always… get out of here.” Ryan offered.

Ray bit his lip from the inside. Half of him wanted nothing more than to run off, straight out of the restaurant with Ryan in tow- disappear into a fancy room and enjoy each other’s company for the night. But he’d heard enough about Ryan and his sexual exploits before they had even met. Ryan was a King never short for male or female company in his own chambers back home- and Ray didn’t want to be known as the prince who let the Mad King deflower him on his first night visiting.

The Kingdom liked to think he was a complete virginal beauty, and even though it was far from true- any wind of a liaison with the Mad King Ryan would ruin his reputation completely.

“No thanks.” He stepped backwards, and Ryan’s hand dropped back to his side. The King’s brow set into a confused frown, and Ray wondered if he had ever really been told _no_ before. Most people would drop their lives at the chance of a night in the King’s company.

Ray wasn’t most people.

He turned his nose up, just as Gavin had taught him long ago when Ray was youngest and cutest of the three, never short of attention. “I’m not really interested in becoming the latest in your long line of bed-mates just because you’re bored.” He said.

Before Ryan could even structure a reply, Ray had turned and left, only regretting his words for a few short minutes.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Ryan remained on the balcony when Ray retreated inside and swore under his breath for being so forward. He was constantly chastising himself for lacking subtlety, but unfortunately it wasn’t a skill that he could pick up as easily as his many others.

Within minutes, Jack had joined him in Ray’s place, a concerned expression etched into his soft face.

“What?” Ryan snapped, a little harsher than he intended.

“I saw you.” Jack said, and the serious tone of his voice had Ryan straightening. “I’m warning you now Ryan, Ray- and the other lads for that matter- are completely off limits to you. The last thing we need on your visit is scandal and that boy has dealt with a lot. The last thing he needs is to fall for you and have his heart broken.”

“Please.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to hurt him- and nobody has to find out.”

He pushed past Jack before he could really say much else, bursting into the room with a fervour that caused everyone, Ray included to swivel their eyes and stare at him. They were silent, waiting for whatever dramatic revelation he had experienced out on the balcony that could cause him to be so forward in his entrance.

“Uh.” He stuttered, laying eyes on Ray again. Then, as the Rose Prince looked away with pink in his cheeks, Ryan smirked. An idea formed in his head, right as Jack appeared behind him with a stony expression. “My dearest friends.” He smiled, directly in Ray’s direction as the prince was all but forced to look at him. “I’m excited to announce that I have decided to spend the rest of the spring season right here, in Achievement City."

 

 

* * *

 

 

By the next day, Ryan was moving in crates of clothes and finery into the small (in comparison to his home dwellings) house beside Geoff’s momentous skyscraper. It’d originally just been a space to keep materials when Geoff had first been crowned, but over the years it had been built up and cared for until it was known only by the large mural covering the sides: _Kung Fu house_.

Gavin described it as a “Welcoming Prank” once Geoff had told him off. Ryan walked into his new home to find a large cow standing in the middle, mooing at him amongst the finest fabrics in all the lands as Michael and Gavin giggled outside the window.

However, the prank didn’t have the desired response. Apparently, Ryan’s love for animals stretched even to the practical kind, and _Edgar_ (obviously), soon became a permeant residence in Ryan’s new temporary home.

Ryan and Geoff had disappeared for the rest of the day, headed towards the throne room to do business, so the rest of the lads did what they did best- and messed with their favourite angry parent, Jack.

Despite what he had said to Ryan on the intention of making him snap (and it had worked perfectly), Gavin was fairly skilled in petty childish magic and always had been- so soon, Jack’s entire house and statue was encased in thick, dark obsidian. However, with Jack away doing business elsewhere, the delayed reaction was far too delayed for his tastes, so out of boredom he whipped up a few magical capes so he, Ray and Michael could fly around the kingdom.

Ray had to give it to his sort-of-brothers. They knew how to have a good time, and gliding around through the cloud-covered sky of Achievement City made him feel more relaxed than he had since Ryan had arrived. Ray could hear Gavin, laughing manically in the distance as Michael chased him in the direction of the giant woollen statues as he languidly followed, twisting and turning through the air. It was nice, just to be able to look up and see nothing but cloud. No worries of _King Ryan_ , or much else at all.

Only, after a while, it started to look like the clouds were growing further and further away.

Ray didn’t realise he was falling until it was too late. He could head Michael yelling at Gavin in the distance, and just about caught sight of the two, unharmed, at the top of a tree. Gavin had probably grown distracted (as he often did) and without his concentration, the spell had worn off.

So, because of Gavin’s idiocy- Ray was plummeting to his death. He was almost too shocked to scream, but at the last minute he heard Michael roar his name. Suddenly, it kicked in- that he really was falling from an unimaginable height. He was going to _die_.

Ray dared to look down at what exact building his remains would have to be scraped off of later. It was the throne room- one piercing pair of blue eyes staring at him intently. Ray watched Ryan, and suddenly, he stopped screaming. He stopped doing much of anything all together. Only when he looked up and realised that the clouds had stopped shrinking, did he realise that he was no longer falling.

He was floating.

Ryan’s face was painted into a smirk as he slowly lowered Ray to the steps of the throne. Ray stumbled a little when his feet hit the ground and Ryan laughed, but not harshly. Ryan laughed, and for a second, Ray forgot that he was dying only a few seconds ago.

“You may approach.” Ryan teased, slouched on the actual seat placed on top of the giant throne structure. Ray blushed, but ascended the rest of stairs anyway, happy that the throne room was completely empty.

“Thanks.” Ray dusted the fear from his shoulders along with the frozen droplets of condensation from the clouds. “You know- for not letting me die.”

“No problem.” Ryan sat back comfortably. “I would be quite torn if you had become just a stain on this ostentatious monument. You should really be more careful.” He flirted.

Ray blushed again, and thankfully- before he could figure out a witty enough reply, another voice was heard from behind them.

“Hey- get the fuck off my throne.” Geoff called. “I’ve got court in here with the citizens in an hour.”

“Sorry, my liege.” Ryan replied with another razor sharp smirk, but his eyes were locked on Ray’s the entire time. “Someone told me it was raining young princes and I couldn’t help but rush over immediately.”

“I don’t even want to know why I just had to send two knights up a tree to fetch the other two idiots- but I did see you tumbling from the sky, Ray.” Geoff sighed. “Honestly- I don’t want to die of a heart attack before I’m forty-five, so if you could not let Gavin risk your life in future…”

Ray looked over his shoulder at Geoff with a small smile. “Sorry Geoff.” He looked back at Ryan. “Thankfully, someone else was looking out for me.”

“Whatever.” Geoff shook his head, motioning for them to come back down. “Off the throne. I’ve got work to do.”

“Fancy a ride back?” Ryan offered, stretching from Geoff’s seat and descending the steps beside him. “You know- without imminent death.”

“What kind of ride?” Ray asked, brow furrowing in suspicion. He didn’t _see_ Edgar XII anywhere near the throne room, and it wasn’t that far a walk from Achievement City anyway. Ryan only smiled at him.

“That wasn’t real flying, with Gavin.” He rolled his eyes. “Childish magic- premature. I’ll show you real magic.”

Ryan extended an arm, and after a few seconds of hedging- Ray accepted it. He didn’t even hear Ryan chant a spell- just suddenly, they were ascending into the air and Ray’s grip on Ryan’s forearm went tighter.

“Relax.” Ryan chuckled. “You’re safe, I promise. No cape needed.” To prove his point, he reached over and unclipped the cape that sat around Ray’s shoulders. Ray watched as it fluttered through the air and floated back to the ground, before he felt a warm hand move into his.

“Come on. I know a place we can go.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Geoff’s house was, to date, the tallest structure in the whole of Achievement City. It had been Geoff’s idea, obviously, for his home to be the most grandiose and pointless achievement in the whole of the land. It was stupid, narcissistic, and most of all, an eyesore to the landscape.

But the sunset did look pretty nice from the top, or at least- Ray thought so as he sat beside Ryan, kicking his feet against the edge of the concrete walls.

“Geoff’s land… it’s very beautiful.” Ryan said, as they looked out over Achievement City and its surrounding areas. “Mine is a little more… barren than this. Not as many colourful structures.” His eye lingered on one of the more recent contraptions- a ‘rainbow road’ built mostly out of boredom by one of their great architects, Jeremey.

“I’m sure it’s still very beautiful, in its own way.”

Ryan smiled at him. “That’s what I like about you Ray. You seem to always see the positive.”

“I don’t know about that.” Ray laughed. “Most of the others tell me I’m a misery half of the time.”

“Please.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “You are a delight. You wouldn’t know misery if it struck you in the jaw.” He shook his head, eyes cast over to the slightest patch of snow out in the far concerns of the land. “My father- now _he_ was a misery.”

“Dad’s suck.” Ray agreed. “Mine was pretty terrible too. What’d yours do?”

“Oh, he was just an evil, conniving man who deserved what he had coming to him.” Ryan said flippantly, with a tone as casual as if they were talking about the weather. Ray did his best not to tense beside him, but Ryan wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were still focused on the snow, far out at the edge of the landscape.

 “Still- although bloodshed and murder is… a custom, among my people- when I killed him I still felt remorse. I wept, privately of course, for days. Despite how terrible of a man and a king he was- he was still my father.”

“I get that.” Ray replied, after a long silence. “My dad was… awful- but I still loved him. He ruined the entire kingdom that my family had ruled for centuries but… I suppose he was my dad and I loved him despite.”

“It gets a little lonely, this orphaned life- doesn’t it?” Ryan asked. Ray shrugged.

“I don’t know- I have Geoff, I suppose. He’s more a father to me than the real thing ever was. Sucks not having a mom though, sometimes.”

“I completely agree.” Ryan nodded. “That’s one part why I’m reluctant to have an heir at all. My advisor, before he died was constantly pressuring me to just… choose a girl from a list and impregnate her for the sake of it. But I refused- growing up without a mother is something I would wish on no child, let alone one of reality. And how am I supposed to trust a random person who I hardly know to stay through my side through the perils of being a ruler?”

“Woah.” Ray frowned, watching as Ryan looked out on the lands with a strange sense of longing in his eyes. “I guess I never thought about it that way. I just thought you never had a queen because you didn’t like being tied down.”

“I’m rumoured to be somewhat of a sexual deviant, but I assure you it isn’t true.” Ryan turned, finally to face him and smiled. “I will admit to laying with others when opportunity arose, but it is a lonely life being a king with no queen. I would wish it upon nobody.”

“Hm.” Ray said. He didn’t know much of what else to say, but Ryan seemed to understand.

“You know, if you wanted to…” The King shrugged, casually- but the look in his eyes was heavy and serious. “You could come back to the dark-lands with me and be my queen.”

Ray looked away.

“Don’t say that when you don’t mean it, Ryan.”

Ryan didn’t correct him, so Ray took it to be true, and hoped that Ryan couldn’t see the hurt on his face. He kept his gaze cast over to the edges of snow creeping into the lands, and gently, he felt Ryan’s hand settle over his.

 


	3. Edgar is The One in The Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan get's his own back on Gavin and Michael's silly prank. Geoff and Gavin have a falling out. Ray does some thinking.

The next day, Ray was awoken from his chamber by some kind of commotion happening outside in central Achievement City. He dressed quickly, wondering what could have Michael and Gavin, as well as Geoff and Jack laughing and hollering at the break of dawn.

“What- what did I miss?” he asked frantically, met with Michael rolling on the floor in hysterics as Geoff doubled over him, wheezing and coughing as a deranged sort of laugh wrecked his body and sent his eyeballs spinning. Gavin was staring at Ryan with tears of hilarity staining his eyes, and only Jack looked over to acknowledge Ray at all, chuckling still as he spoke.

“Ryan, uh- made some adjustments to Edgar’s new residency.”

“What adjustments?” Ray asked, locking eyes with Ryan. His question only set the other four off again, Gavin falling to the floor beside Michael and Jack patting Geoff heartily on the back as the king seemingly choked up a lung. Ryan rolled his eyes, but Ray could sense that he was biting back a smirk.

“Feel free to spare a passing glance.” He gestured to his house. Ray had been in Kung Fu House before, many times- but suddenly it felt strange, knowing that it had been converted into Ryan’s place. He felt like an intruder, stepping onto the plush carpet and peering around the large living space for the adult cow who had become Ryan’s roommate.

“Look down.” Ryan said, suddenly behind him. The hysterical laughing of the others was muted as Ryan pulled the wooden door shut behind them, and suddenly, the room felt smaller.

Ray looked down to the cool glass his feet were stood on. Well, that certainly hadn’t been there before.

“I see what they were laughing about now.” He stifled a laugh, but thankfully Ryan was smiling at him. “They find it quite amusing.” He nodded. “Although, personally- I think it’s quite practical.”

“Psycho.” Ray joked. Ryan shrugged.

“Some would say. Others would know.” He replied, cryptically. Ray’s laughter died in his throat, and he looked down at Edgar, happily stood in the corner of his new room, chewing at some hay.

“At least he’s getting fed.”

“Precisely my point.” Ryan rested his warm hand on the small of Ray’s back. “The others insist I’m a cruel owner, but you can clearly see I care for the thing. She makes quite the room-mate.”

“Wait- _she_?” Ray asked incredulously. He didn’t even have time to question Ryan’s hand resting in his personal space before he was caught completely off guard. Ryan chuckled in response, voice low and breath warm besides Ray’s ear.

“Ray, please.” He said, and Ray felt the vibrations of the words from his face down to his toes. “Male cows don’t have black and white patches- nor udders.”

“Oh.” Ray blushed. “I guess I never thought of it that way- what with the name and all.”

“Never assume.” The tip of Ryan’s perfectly crooked nose brushed against Ray’s face for a split second before the king stepped away completely, and headed back over to the door. “Assumptions are dangerous. Truth lies in evidence.”

“Right.” Ray nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Ryan smiled at him once more, before slipping out of the room and back into the laughing idiots circle of hysteria.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Ray frowned as he made his way up the many steps of Geoff’s giant house until he reached the meeting room, left right at the very top. Usually only Jack or Geoff ever went in there to discuss politics and important business. Even Michael and Gavin avoided it like the plague, because the room carried such a deceptively tense atmosphere.

Geoff was sat behind a large mahogany table with his fingers pressed together pensively and his face leant forwards, rested on his hands.

“Sit.” He said, nodding to one of the wooden chairs. “There’s that fizzy fruit shit in the jug. I know you like that.”

“Thanks.” Ray swallowed nervously around nothing in his throat, pouring himself a cup of the sweet juice. Geoff watched him silently, and Ray’s heart began to beat so loudly he wondered if the King could hear it through his chest, echoing in the room.

“Don’t look so nervous.” Geoff cracked a long-awaited smile and Ray instantly relaxed at the familiarity, taking a sip of his drink.

“Well- you call me all mysterious like up to the meeting room that nobody ever goes into apart from you and Jack. Obviously I’m gonna be fucking nervous, dude.”

“Sorry.” Geoff smiled. “I just wanted to call you up here to talk. Can’t get any privacy around this damn kingdom anymore.”

“Oh.” Ray nodded. He understood a thing or two about privacy- it felt sometimes that in Achievement City, there were curious ears around every corner. Up on the roof of Geoff’s house with Ryan was the first time in a long time that he had remembered the feeling of being completely more or less alone, any other living soul no less than a hundred floors below.

“So, what’s on your mind?” He asked Geoff.

Geoff sighed, and paused for a solid chunk of seconds before answering. “You, mostly, kid. You and one James Ryan Haywood the Third- Dark God of the Dark Realms and its Land.” He teased and Ray blushed at Ryan’s mouthful of a title, trying his best to look innocent. “Don’t play dumb with me.” Geoff said, as Ray sat silently across from him. “Something’s going on.”

“Nothing’s going on.” Ray shrugged. Geoff raised an eyebrow.

“Look- kid, despite how fucking pure and holy the people think you are, I’m not gonna dictate who you fuck. I know you’re never short of… admirers.” He gestured vaguely in the air and Ray’s cheeks tinged dark. It was very strange, having a conversation about his list of conquests with the man who was more or less his adopted father. “And I know you know how to get what you want. If that’s Ryan… I can’t say I’m happy with it- but I won’t… I’ll try not to stop you.”

“Geoff-”

“-Look, kid.” Geoff pulled his crown from his head, setting it on the table with a heavy _thud_. “I care about you a lot- just as if you were one of my own. Just the same as Michael and Gavin.”

“I know that-”

“-So… I want you to know that no matter what, I’ll protect you. And that’s why I’m wary of you and Ryan, because as your guardian I want to look after you and I would hate to see you be hurt, okay?”

“Hurt.” Ray’s nose wrinkled. “Geoff look- we’re not _betrothed_ or anything. We’re friends, that’s it. Yeah, there’s a little harmless flirting going on but… Ryan’s a king, at the end of the day. He’s probably got a long line of whores waiting for him in his kingdom as well as five potential queens.” He lied, hoping that the more he spun the more likely it would be to be true. Honestly, he _had_ seen a different side of Ryan, following their talk on the roof but Ray knew that the moment he truly believed the Kings words, he would have no more reason to avoid falling for him.

“He doesn’t love me-” he insisted to Geoff’s frown. “he just… wants me to pass the time whilst he’s stuck here.” Ray had meant it to come across as flippant, unbothered, undisturbed- but as every word passed his lips his anger intensified until his hands were gripped in tiny fists above the table and Geoff was reaching out, brushing his hand so gently with heavy tattooed fingers that he looked up and realised for the first time, that he _was_ crying.

“Ray-”

“Whatever.” Ray sniffed, standing up suddenly. “Can I go?”

“No. Sit down.” Geoff nodded back in the chair, and begrudgingly, Ray followed his instruction.

“Now Ryan is a trusted friend of mine. He is… at the heart, a good man. I will admit that in all the years I’ve known him often his interests are brief and in passing but… I’ve been watching, and he looks at you, Ray, in a way I have never seen him look at anything else. That counts for something.”

“Really?” Ray asked, wiping the tears away from his eyes. Geoff nodded.

“Whatever interest Ryan has in you… it’s serious. However, I am concerned because of _who_ Ryan is.”

“You said he was a good man-”

“I said he was at heart.” Geoff corrected. “Mind? That I can’t promise. Ryan has always been a hard man to solve, and I admit even now that I don’t have him completely figured out. He has… layers.”

“Like an onion?” Ray scoffed. Geoff rolled his eyes.

“If you will. Look- the long and short of it is, that I called you up here today to tell you to be careful around Ryan.” He said. Ray stared at him in silent and teary confusion, so Geoff sighed, and leant back in his chair. “Ryan comes from people who are… very different to ours. People who are bloodthirsty and violent and murderous. All these things are completely normal to him- and I would not want to see you get… _overwhelmed._ ”

Ray shrugged his shoulders. “I can take care of myself.” He said, tilting his head upwards. Geoff smirked, and let out a short laugh. “I’m somewhat of a fighter too, you know.”

“I don’t doubt it kid,” Geoff smiled. “But… just for my peace of mind- take a little precaution?”

“I will.” Ray promised, looking back at Geoff’s piercing blue eyes. He had never noticed before, how similar they were to Ryan’s whilst still being completely different. Geoff’s eyes had an aged familiarity behind the layers of cool. Ryan’s were like immovable blocks of ice.

“Can I go now?”

Geoff rolled his eyes, but eventually smiled and nodded. “Yes.” He waved towards the door as Ray rose from his seat.

“Oh, and Ray- do me a favour.” He called back at the last minute. “Send Gavin up when you’re done.”

Ray was already to the door, smirking as he looked back at the king. “What?” he asked. “Gav in trouble or something?”

Geoff rolled his eyes, but it lacked its usual playfulness. “Or something.” He said quietly. “You don’t want to know. Just send him up.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

After pacing down the stone steps and sending a messenger for Gavin at the bottom, Ray was feeling far more relaxed following his talk with Geoff than he had ever expected.

And then, he saw Ryan, making his way into the building with a determined look in his eyes. Ray’s stomach dropped, but he did his best to remain composed, smiling politely at Ryan with every intention to walk right on by, out the door and into his house.

“Ray! I was just looking for you.” Ryan smiled, sauntering over in all his reality. “I was wondering if you would care to join me for a walk out into the grasslands?”

Every protestation in Ray’s throat died out when he became trapped in the gaze of those impossibly blue eyes.

“Yeah.” He said. “Sure.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The grasslands were one of Ray’s favourite places in Achievement City.

Firstly, because it was so peaceful. The grasslands area was essentially one giant meadow, freed from wooden fences for miles and miles around, and the grounds were so large and enveloping that you could be stood directly in the middle and not see another single soul. The second reason for Ray’s love of the grasslands was a little more superficial, and Ryan picked up on it straight away.

“You love the flowers.” He said, as Ray admired a half-bloomed rose bush with a careful yet adoring touch. He nodded.

“Yeah, flowers are a big deal for me. My kingdom… before it fell- we were the Rose kingdom. Flowers were in our blood.” He explained. Ryan nodded behind, listening intently and reaching out himself to run his fingers through the petals, a few shedding off at his touch.

“Your kingdom was very noble; from what I knew of them. When they fell we lost some very important trade. I’m sure you miss them dearly.”

“Some of them.” Ray inspected one of the un-bloomed rosebuds. “Some, not so much.”

“I won’t pry.” Ryan replied, and Ray smiled at him warmly. “But please, these roses aren’t bloomed yet- let me make them rise for you?”

Ray stepped away from the bush with a little hesitation, as Ryan began to waft his hand in the air. Sparks of dark grey and glowing red floated around the rosebush, and the flowers grew suddenly, blooming open and wide before their very eyes.

But Ray’s heart could only hurt- because Ryan’s magic on the flowers was rushed an unstable, and immediately some of the petals began to shed and the flowers began to wilt until Ray couldn’t stand it anymore, and waved the King’s hands away.

“Stop it!” he scolded, surprising himself with the urgency in his tone. “You’re making them wilt, Ryan. Magic on living things like flowers takes a lot more care than that.”

When Ray looked up to Ryan’s shocked and guilty expression, his heart clenched. He felt _bad_ , truly- for being so harsh with him and wanted nothing more than to brush the pained expression off the Kings face.

“It’s fine.” He changed track, conjuring some magic between his own fingers- stroking the petals lightly back to life. The roses shone and bloomed before both their faces and just before the flowers could hit their peak of perfection, he withdrew.

“But- they’re not finished.” Ryan said. Ray smiled.

“They don’t need to be.” He dusted his hands away. “Flowers grow, Ryan. They’re not objects- they’re _alive_. I’m not going to rob them of the rest of their growth just so that they _look_ pretty.”

Ray was too busy admiring the flowers at first to notice the adoring expression that fell over Ryan’s face, but he looked up just in time to see the King reach out and stroke the flowers with much more care than he had before.

“So wise yet so young.” He said, fondly, looking between Ray and the rose bushes. “Like the flowers you have more time to grow- but in my eyes you are already perfect.”

“Ryan,” Ray blushed. “You’re such a flirt. Cut it out.”

“Forgive me.” Ryan held up his hands, but he didn’t look the least bit sorry and Ray was glad. “I’m just very impressed by you, always. You enchant me, Ray.”

“Maybe you’re not such a brute after all.” Ray ran his fingers over Ryan’s softly for a few short seconds. “Maybe you’ve got some growing time too.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

They headed back to Achievement City together- not hand in hand, but close as they walked, arms swinging and fingers brushing between them as they crossed the short bridge from the giant animals to the main city. However, the tranquil mood was set completely off once they could see the square, and the shouting voices were heard.

Geoff was read in the face, yelling at Gavin unabashedly as Gavin pouted and stomped and flounced and shouted back, Michael stood behind him with a worried expression and Jack some little ways off, rubbing his forehead worriedly.

“I’m not doing it!” They heard from Gavin, once they walked into range. “I’m not being the poxy king after you! I’m training as an archer and I’m joining the army with _Michael_!”

“Like _fuck_ you are!”

Geoff lurched forwards, as if he was going to grab Gavin by both shoulders- but the fear in the boys eyes when he backed away stilled him completely. Ray watched as Geoff froze like a deer in headlights, and within seconds- Gavin had turned and flown away, Michael sprinting after him and yelling his name.

After Gavin’s dramatic exit, Geoff’s face set back into fury and he stormed off into his own house, Jack not far behind. Ray and Ryan stood on the edge of the flag silently as the city emptied, and wondered how long it would’ve taken before anyone would’ve noticed they were there.

“Are things always this… hectic?” Ryan asked. Ray sighed, wandering into the middle of the square. “I mean, it’s clear that Geoff loves the boy but…”

“I get sick of it sometimes.” Ray admitted, staring at Geoff’s giant building before turning around to look at Ryan. “Like… there’s a lot around here. It’s either Michael and Gavin bickering over shit or it’s Gavin and Geoff arguing because they both love each other so much but they hate admitting it.” He huffed, and the words rushed out of him like air in a balloon. “And then… if it’s not them, it’s Gavin and Jack because Gavin loves to take his pranks to far- in fact, it’s Gavin and _anyone_ , cause he’s always causing trouble and working everyone up-

“-Because… Michael gets far too angry too quickly, and Geoff is so stubborn and Gavin’s insensitive and Jack is a little _too_ sensitive. It’s a lot to take in.” Ray hadn’t realised how worked up he was getting until Ryan’s hand rested on his tense shoulder.

“Sorry.” Ray sniffed. “I didn’t mean to get so…” he trailed off, but Ryan shook his head.

“It’s fine, I understand. I probably wouldn’t fare well with so much tension either.” He said. “In my kingdom… there are far less arguments. Mainly because we settle things on the battle field but also… because we know suffering and we know to hold things back unless they truly matter.”

“Huh.” Ray smiled, as Ryan rubbed his neck gently. “Maybe your kingdom is looking more and more appealing to me.”

Ryan grinned, and Ray was bracing himself for the silver-tongued persuasion of the dark lands King. However, Ryan surprised him, and stepped backwards.

“Go to your brothers.” He nodded in the vague direction of the forests Michael had run into. “You love them, very much and I know that. They probably drive you crazy but you care about them. You should go to them and see what troubles them so.”

Ray didn’t say anything, looking worriedly over to where his brothers had fled. Sure, they were assholes- but they had always been there for him. He hadn’t seen Gavin upset like that in a long time, so clearly, something was very wrong.

“Thanks Ryan,” he said quietly, tiptoeing up to kiss the King on his surprisingly soft cheek. “I needed to hear that.”

Then, Ray turned and started off in a run towards the forest.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Michael and Gavin weren’t exactly hard to locate, what with the frantic yelling from _Prince Mogar_ , echoing around the trees. Ray followed his voice into a clearing where Michael was stood alone, yelling up at a tree.

“Where is he?” Ray asked, when Michael turned and noticed him.

“Up there!” Michael pointed, frowning. “Asshole flew right up there and is refusing to come down!”

“I’m not coming down!” Gavin yelled, as if on cue. Ray peered up into the tree but he couldn’t make out Gavin at all, only leaves and branches.

“Where?” he asked. Michael gestured vaguely at the branches.

“He’s fucking camouflaged- all that green he’s got on. Asshole.” He kicked the stump, and a few of the branches rattled.

“Gavin, come down.” Ray called. “Please. Let’s talk?”

“Don’t wanna.” Ray could hear the pout in Gavin’s voice, so he rolled his eyes and nodded for Michael to kick the tree again until it vibrated and swayed right to the tip, where Gavin was hidden.

“Woah! Leave it out!”

“Then come down!” Michael yelled. Distantly, they heard a sigh.

“Fine.”

Like a holy spirit, Gavin descended from the tree gently until his feet touched the dirt. He still had tears lingering in the corner of his eyes and his cheeks were flushed red from where he’d grown so angry, that Michael couldn’t stop himself from pulling the other prince into a tight hug.

“Don’t, Gav.” He said quietly. “You know I hate it when you cry.”

“I’m sorry.” Gavin wiped his face, frustrated. “He just… makes me so angry, the absolute _brute_!”

“Gavin- you’ve got to stop doing this.” Ray huffed, catching both his best friends off guard. “I’m sorry but you do-” he walked over and sat down on the tree stump Gavin was perched on. “It’s… Geoff… he _loves_ you, and he only wants what’s best. He’s given you everything and… you can’t just throw it all in his face.”

“You’ve changed your tune.” Gavin pouted. “Aren’t you always the one who wants to run away?”

Ray looked to the ground. “Maybe not anymore.” He mumbled. Slowly, Gavin leant over and rested his face on Ray’s shoulder. Even Michael moved closer, rubbing his hair affectionately.

“What’s on your mind, Ray?” Gavin asked.

“Ryan.” There was no point in lying. One of them always caught him out. “I… I think I might be going back on my word about not liking him.”

“You’ve both got a lot to think about.” Michael laughed. “My life has never been so simple.”

“I’m jealous.” Gavin said.

Ray agreed. “Me too.”

“Seriously, Gavin.” Michael sighed. “You need to talk to Geoff.”

“I know.” Gavin pouted. “It’s… it’s just… I want you to be safe. You’re far old enough and trained enough now to run off into battle and it scares me, boi.” He sat up, staring at Michael with a sudden intensity. “I don’t want you to get hurt so I want to be by your side to look after you.”

Ray suddenly felt like an intruder on the tender moment, Michael staring at Gavin in shock at his admission and Gavin looking up at Michael with all the love in the world in his eyes. Suddenly, he understood.

Because yeah- they all loved each other. But with Michael and Gavin… it had always been just that little bit _different_.

“Gav.” Michael smiled. “If you become king… I’ll be right there by your side every fucking moment. I’m not gonna be in danger because we’ll always be together. Alright?”

His words were short and simple enough, when Ray really thought about them- but to Gavin, it was like Michael had solved the world problems in a simple sentence. His entire body practically perked and he stood suddenly, smiling at the pair of them. “Alright, fine.” He said. “I’ll talk to Geoff. I love you both. Even you- Ray.” He smiled, and Ray beamed back at him. “I’ll see you lot later.”

Gavin took off into the sky with a _whoosh_ and they both looked up, watching him fly back towards the city. Michael sighed, fondly, walking over and sitting beside Ray on the stump.

“ _So.._.” He smiled. “You and fucking _Ryan_. Who’d ‘a thought it?”

“Not me.” Ray shrugged. “Not for a single fucking second. But I’m actually starting to consider his offer of just… running away and leaving with him.”

“You know, no matter what you’ll decision we’ll support you.”

Ray looked at Michael, shocked. His hot-head, wild-animal brother _wasn’t_ exploding into a sudden rage and cursing every syllable of Ryan’s lengthy title, which was very odd. Instead, Michael reached over and took Ray’s hand in his. “Seriously.” He smiled. “I mean; I’ll talk Geoff round personally if I have to. It’ll take a while but… he loves you, so.”

“You’re being awfully reasonable.”

Michael shrugged. “Guess I just want to see you happy. And so far… I’ve never seen you light up like the way you do when you’re with him. So I’ll support you.”

“You’re the best, Michael.”

Michael grinned, and squeezed his hand. “Shut up.” He mumbled. “Let’s head back and hope Gavin and Geoff haven’t started throwing punches.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

By the time Ray and Michael had made it back to the centre of the city, Gavin and Geoff were nowhere to be seen. Jack was visible through the window of his house, cooking up something in a furnace and Ryan was stood outside his own temporary home, feeding hay to Edgar XII. He looked over when he heard them approach and smiled broadly.

“That’s just fucking unfair.” Ray muttered under his breath to Michael as butterflies swarmed in his stomach. “That smile? No fucking way.”

“Go.” Michael nudged him forwards slightly. “Go hang with your fucking boyfriend. I’ll go see if Jack saw Gavin come home.”

Michael didn’t give him a chance to respond, just skipped off towards Jack’s house and closed the door loudly behind him, leaving Ray and Ryan alone once again in the centre of the city.

“Hey.” Ray smiled nervously. Ryan took a step back from his horse and turned to face Ray with a fondness in his eyes that made Ray want to giggle like one of the children who he saw frolicking through the fields outside the throne room.

“Ray!” Ryan smiled. It always surprised Ray, just how happy Ryan seemed to be every time they were together. “I’ve been meaning to ask you a question. It’s been plaguing my mind all day but you had business to attend to with your brothers so I didn’t want to pull you away.”

“Oh? It’s fine. What did you want to ask?” Ray asked, playing with the bottom of his over shirt and kicking his foot back behind his ankle.

“I want to ask you on a date.” Ryan said, confidently. “Now. I know you said you were unsure about advancing our friendship, but-”

“-Yes!” Ray interrupted, the eagerness in his tone surprising even himself. He blushed immediately, but Ryan only grinned. “Sorry, to interrupt. You did seem to be on a roll and all.”

“No.” Ryan shook his head, smile wide. “It’s no problem. Tomorrow, at daybreak?”

“Yeesh.” Ray grimaced, but the laugh was inescapable. “Like… _daybreak_? Are all Kings into this early morning garbage?”

“Fine.” Ryan laughed. “When the sun rises to its highest point, I will knock at your home. How does that sound?”

Ray grinned, and without hesitation, took a few steps forward and kissed Ryan softly on the cheek. “Perfect.” He said. “It’s a date.”

 


	4. The J.R Crown Collection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray has some difficult decisions to make as Ryan's visit nears it's closing. Gavin has a confession.

It had been a long time since Jack had had a moment alone, what with all the hysteria following Ryan’s visit and Geoff and Gavin’s arguing and then Michael, snooping around like the lovesick puppy he was. Jack loved them all dearly, but sometimes all he wanted to do was to tell them to go away and leave him in peace.

He had finally ushered a worrying Michael out just as he caught Ray kiss Ryan on the cheek through the window. Jack rolled his eyes, but chose to do nothing and settled down in the upper levels off his house to relax and go over some of the work he knew he would have to explain to Geoff in the morning.

He had barely lifted his pen to the paper when there was a hasty banging at the front door.

“Alright, alright!” Jack called, unlatching the door and pulling it open. Ryan was on the other side, sun setting behind him and a strange, excitable glint in his eye. “Jack!” He smiled, pushing his way into the house and grabbing an apple off the counter immediately. “I need your advice.”

“Please.” Jack glared. “Come in.”

“Jack, this is a joyous matter!” Ryan grinned, shaking his dear friend by the shoulders whilst chewing loudly. “Ray has agreed to go on a date with me! I need your advice on how to make it completely perfect.”

“So that’s why he was kissing you earlier?”

“Jack.” Ryan smirked. “Please, you make me seem _uncivilised_. It was a soft peck on the cheek, nothing more I assure you.” He took another bite of the apple, and Jack cringed at the sharpness of his teeth. “Well,” he added with a devilish grin. “Not yet anyway.”

“Ryan!” Jack chided, rolling his eyes. “Quit it. Ray is very important to me and to Geoff. I’ve told you that.”

“I know.” Ryan nodded, settling down into one of the armchairs. Immediately, his face set into a serious, thoughtful line. “Help me Jack.” He asked, looking up to his friend who was still standing, untrusting of his intentions. “I honestly want to show Ray a wonderful time. I will admit that initially, my intentions weren’t completely pure but now I have become… enchanted by the boy. He captivates me constantly and the last thing I could bear would be to disappoint him.”

“I can see that you’re genuine.” Jack sighed, sitting down in the armchair adjacent from Ryan. “But… Ryan, we know of your people and their ruthlessness. Ray is the flower of the kingdom. We couldn’t bear to see him get hurt.”

“I understand.” Ryan frowns. “He deserves far better than a ruthless brute like me, you’re right.”

“Ryan-”

“-No, it’s true. He’s far too good for someone like me. I’m not even sure why I bother pursuing him when all I’m going to do is destroy his reputation.”

Jack was quiet, watching Ryan slumped in the armchair. The king shifted uncomfortably, leaning forwards to rest on his knees. His expression had become so downtrodden, and Jack couldn’t bear the sight.

“Fine.” He sighed. “I’ll help you.”

“Really?” Ryan lit up. Jack nodded.

“I suppose so. It’s clear to me that you care about the kid. So even if it means that Geoff has my head… I’ll help you out.”

“Thank you Jack!” Ryan bounded out of his seat, and pulled Jack into a surprisingly tight hug. “Honestly. You will not regret this!” he promised.

 

* * *

 

 

Jack waited until considerably _after_ Ray and Ryan had vacated Achievement City, picnic blankets and baskets of food strapped to _Edgar XII_ before he broke the news to Geoff.

The King was in his office, signing documents when Jack entered and mumbled quietly that Ray and Ryan had in fact set off together on horseback for their first date.

“Oh for _fuck’s sake_.” Geoff groaned, setting his quill down and resting his head in his hands. “Does nobody listen to me in this God Damn kingdom anymore?”

“Geoff.” Jack chuckled. “It’s just a date. They’re not eloping.”

“Not yet!” Geoff exclaimed. “Jack, I know just as well as you do that Ryan’s really fucking into the kid. And by into- I mean he wants to get _into_ him! And if he’s so fucking fixated with Ray, he’s not going to want to ruin whatever fucking innocent reputation he thinks he has.”

“So?” Jack sat on one of the plush chairs. “What’s your point, Geoff?”

“My point is, Ryan obviously is _attracted_ to him, but as to protect Ray’s fucking honour he knows he can’t do anything until they’re… _committed_ , right?”

Jack continued to stare blankly. “I… still don’t follow.” He admitted. Geoff groaned again, louder this time as he clenched his fists over the table.

“That means that before Ryan can get into Ray, he’s going to want to marry him. Ryan moves fucking quickly- like a snake-” he shivered. “-and Ray’s head over fucking heels for him. He and Ray will be out of this city on horseback betrothed together by the end of the fucking week!”

“Geoff.” Jack glared. “Do you really think Ray’s that naïve? And Ryan is that _cunning_?”

“Yes!” Geoff nodded. “I really fucking do, actually.” He shifted the papers about his desk, pushing them to one side so he could slump, angry and worried lines pressing into his forehead. “I thought after I talked with him he’d think more about it but… I fucking guess not.”

“Listen, Geoff.” Jack sighed at his friend. “Even though he’s the baby, Ray’s _not_ a kid anymore. He’s not a fucking virgin either, whether you want to kid yourself along with the citizens or not. He likes Ryan, but I don’t think he’s stupid enough to jump into marriage with him and leave for the Darklands at sunset. Can’t we give him a little more credit?”

Geoff sighed, and Jack smiled. He knew Geoff- they’d been best friends for decades. So, he knew the exact expression on Geoff’s face that meant he was wrong, and more importantly, it was killing him to admit it.

“Fine.” Geoff eventually relented, teeth gritted like it pained him to give Jack any credit. “Ray’s not a kid. But Ryan can be pretty fucking persuasive.”

“Ryan’s intentions are nothing but good, I promise you.” Jack rose from the seat and walked over to the desk to pat his friend’s hair as Geoff knocked his head against the wooden desk. “You should’ve seen him yesterday, begging me for _dating_ advice. When was the last time Ryan ever _dated_ anyone? He really fucking likes Ray and wants to make him happy. Kid’s been through a lot in his life. Don’t you think he deserves a little happiness?”

“Which kid?” Geoff mumbled, sitting up with a lazy smile. “Ray, or Ryan?”

Jack smiled back at him. “Both.” He said.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Together, Ray and Ryan made their journey back to the meadow on his horse. The saddle had been encrusted with diamond, but was thankfully big enough to fit them both, Ryan up front in all his regal glory and Ray not far behind, arms wrapped tightly around Ryan’s middle.

They rode out to the most secluded area of the meadow, surrounded by daisies and pink wildflowers, and on the outskirts of the clearing, impressive blooming magnolias. Edgar’s long leash was tied loosely to a tree to the horse could mooch around and graze once Ryan had gather their supplies off it’s back. Ray was somewhat taken aback by the level of effort the king had put into their date, a thick red blanket laid on the grass so it wouldn’t irritate their skin and a basket stuffed with bread and cheese, various fruits like apples and grapes from Geoff’s personal vineyard. Ryan even produced a sealed wooden canteen filled with his favourite fruit juice, knowing of Ray’s distaste for alcohol.

“So...” Ray asked, once they were settled. “Tell me about yourself.”

Ryan leant back and Ray mirrored his pose, raising his eyebrows and smirking. “What more is there to know?” he asked. “I’m James Ryan Haywood the Third, Dark God of the Dark Realms and-”

“-Yeah, I know all that shit.” Ray waved him off. “I mean something _real_. Something personal… what’s your favourite hobby, that kind of shit.”

“Oh.” Ryan’s face drew pensive, as if he was giving deep thought to the relatively simple question. “I…uh… I suppose I enjoy crown politics.”

“That’s your job!” Ray laughed, head tilted back far enough that the long grass tickled his hair. “C’mon, Rye. Tell me something you _really_ enjoy. Something nobody else knows about.”

“Something nobody else knows about.” Ryan repeated, stretching his neck until it made a loud click. “Well… I’ve always enjoyed literature.”

“Good start.”

“And…” he glared at Ray playfully. “Nobody knows this bar my publisher- but I have actually released several poetry books under a pseudonym.” He eyes sparkled with a subdued excitement, and in surprise, Ray sat up.

“Seriously?” he asked. Ryan nodded, and his crown slipped forwards on his brow.

“Seriously.” He echoed. “My pseudonym is J.R Crown. I doubt you’ve heard of me.”

“You wrote _A Breath Lest Held!”_

Ryan’s eyes widened, and he sat up slightly. “I did.” He said. “You’ve read my work?”

“Fucking _all_ of it dude!” Ray exclaimed, grinning widely as Ryan’s own smile stretched. “My favourites are _Narrow Hearts Rarely Prosper, A Breath Lest Held and My Crow Denounces.”_

Ryan’s perfect blue eyes lit up. “Ray. You appear more and more perfect to me every day.” He said, reaching over to stroke the back of Ray’s hand with a ringer finger until the prince blushed. “Honestly, my offer to share my kingdom still stands.”

“I’m sure that would go over great in court.” Ray rolled his eyes. “Evil Mad King steals innocent young prince from Achievement City.”

“They wouldn’t dare.” Ryan grit his teeth, eyes darkening. “You would be accepted as queen throughout my entire court. Anyone showing discontent would be put immediately to death.”

For a fraction of a second, Ray froze. He had forgotten, lost in conversations about poetry and the gentle hum of the bees on the warm afternoon that Ryan was a king- king of a murderous and deathly dangerous land. But, there it was- fires flashing behind his eyes when he spoke of something as pure as marriage.

It was only for a second that he had frozen, but immediately, Ryan had noticed.

His tone was still playful. “Do I displease you, flower?” he smirked.

Ray quietly shrugged, avoiding Ryan’s eyes. “It’s nothing.” He lied.

Ryan sat straight up, and reached forwards to take Ray’s hand in his own. “Ray. If I’ve upset you in any way, please, tell me, and I’ll-”

“-no, Ryan it’s fine.” Ray barely breathed a laugh. “You’ve not upset me. It’s just… the way you can talk about love and murder in the same sentence. Sometimes you distract me with your words and I forget you’re-”

Ryan withdrew his hand. “-A brute?”

“No!” Ray shook his head quickly, sitting up on his knees to shift forwards, so he was close enough to reach over and lift Ryan’s golden crown from his head. “Sometimes I just forget your status.” He clarified, turning the metal over in his hands. “You’re a _king_ Ryan. Your people… they are very different from mine. It’s not _bad_ , it’s just…”

“…Different.” Ryan finished, looking from his crown, cradled in such delicate hands, to the dark warmth of Ray’s eyes. “Ray.” He breathed. “I know that I am different from you. I know that I appear to you and your family as something to be feared but… I assure you that I would treat you as nothing less than the most precious and fragile of diamond.” He reached up, stroking Ray’s face gently with a rough, calloused palm and stocky, thick fingers decked in jewels. “Being at my side… as my queen or as only my _friend_ , you could teach me so much about how to be more gentle.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Ryan was busy over the next few days, which was a blessing and a curse.

On one hand, Ray had gotten rather used to Ryan’s constant presence around him- from when they would stroll through Achievement City to the most recent ‘date’, the picnic in the meadow. It had been such a _perfect_ afternoon, and hadn’t left his mind since. He’d sit up in his bed at night, easily distracted from books and games every time he remembered the way Ryan stroked the flower petals, or smiled down at him like a beaming sun.

However, Ryan being busy with _actual_ royal duties left him with some time alone to think. He hated to admit it, but the offer of taking off in the next few weeks on the back of Ryan’s horse to become the co-ruler of a new, faraway land was sounding more tempting by the second. Ray imagined Ryan looked good sat on his throne at home- his slashed crown pressed low and lazily on his brow and his knees spread in effortless comfort. Ryan was a feared ruler, that was for sure. Ray admired the fact.

Michael and Gavin had been watching him over the past few days. Michael and Gavin didn’t _do_ subtle- neither had the tact nor the patience, so Ray had been more than well aware of the pair watching him with eyes like a hawk as he strolled alone around Achievement City, lost in thought.

“C’mon, spill.” Michael pressured, nudging Ray with a broad shoulder.

Ray huffed. It had been his intention to take a peaceful walk through the woollen statues in order to try and make sense of his thoughts and desires, but- Michael and Gavin had insisted on joining him, eager to find out the latest scandal that had been plaguing his mind.

“I don’t know.” Ray shrugged. “Just thinking about Ryan.”

“Knew it.” Michael smirked. “You get that fucking look in your eye whenever you think about him.”

Ray blushed. Had he really been that obvious?

“Yeah!” Gavin added with a brief laugh. “Don’t be _embarrassed_ Ray, it’s cute!”

“Whatever.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “It’s nothing anyway.”

“Well.” Michael linked their arms together. “It isn’t nothing, is it? You’ve been fucking thinking about _something_ to do with Ryan real hard for the last five days. If somethings bothering, you-”

“-Nothing’s bothering me, Michael.”

“Alright, fine!” Michael stepped away slightly, unlinking their arms and pouting briefly. “Just, we are your friends Ray. Brothers, even. You can fucking tell us shit if it’s bothering you.”

Ray looked down at the grassy floor. The truth was, Michael’s words _had_ made him feel guilty. The ‘Lads’ never kept secrets from each other. He looked up, first at an eagerly anticipating Michael and then, more reserved a few paces behind him, Gavin. The _‘real’_ prince looked troubled, for some reason. His brow was furrowed, hands stuffed into the pockets of his trousers beneath his tunic sheepishly. Ray bit his lip.

“Alright. I’ve been… kinda thinking about this whole… taking off with Ryan thing. Leaving for the Darklands. Help him rule, and shit.”

“Dude!” Michael spoke first, but Ray’s eyes were fixed on Gavin. He’d never seen his brother look so… _dejected_. His eyes were driven into the ground, looking glossy as if he was silently tearing up.

“That’s awesome!” Michael continued, oblivious to Gavin’s meltdown behind him. He reached forwards and patted Ray on the shoulder. “Honestly. Fucking you know we’ll always support you. Ryan seems to like you a lot, and if you like him… fucking go for it! There’s no point in hiding your feelings.”

“Yeah.” Ray mumbled, continuing to watch Gavin. “What… uh, what do you think, Gav?”

Gavin looked up. A stray tear escaped its confines and ran down his cheek- just as Michael turned around.

“Gav?” his voice softened.

Without bothering to answer, Gavin turned around and took off into a sprint towards the depths of the forest.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It had taken some serious pleading, but after a few tense minutes, Ray had convinced Michael to let him go after Gavin alone. His brother wasn’t happy about it at all, pacing the circumference of a nearby tree stop, insisting that he wasn’t moving an inch until they both returned and he could figure out what the fuck was wrong with Gavin and fix it. Ray bit his tongue, suspecting that he already knew what Gavin’s problem was.

He found the prince sitting in a low hanging branch of a tree, head buried in his hands. Quiet sobs made the branches shake, a few stray leaves drifting down to the floor.

“Gav!” Ray called. “Come down.”

“No. Go away!”

Ray huffed. The last thing he needed was to try and argue Gavin out of a tree, _again_.  Why his brother always fled for high-up places he would never understand.

Ray huffed and groaned as he pulled his way up the tree, climbing the trunk until he could swing himself onto the branch Gavin was sitting on. He wasn’t anywhere near as nimble as Gavin was and it took him a few minutes to find his balance before he could finally settle beside his brother, reaching over to rest a hand on his bony shoulder.

“Gav. Tell me what’s wrong.” He said. “’cause, I know this isn’t just about me maybe leaving.”

“Of course not.” Gavin huffed, head in hands. “I’m a wreck, ain’t I? with everyone! First arguing with Geoff, now you-”

“Yeah, but why?” Ray pushed, even though he already suspected the truth. “You hate fighting with Geoff. And I know you would never stop me from running off after some stupid dream- so what’s the problem?”

Gavin sighed, deeply, before straightening. Ray gripped the branch tightly as it shook under their combined weight.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Gavin pouted, turning to look at Ray, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt. Ray bit his lip, and shook his head.

“Tell me.”

Gavin wrung his hands together. “It’s… it’s bloody Michael, isn’t it?” he said quietly. “I… like Michael and I’m scared that he doesn’t like me back.”

“Finally.” Ray smirked. “I think I’ve been waiting for you to admit that for _years_.”

“Oh _sod off-”_

“-It’s fine!” Ray laughed. “Michael fucking adores you and you know that. Of course he likes you back, idiot. I left him in a furious staring match with a tree stump because he wanted to run after you instead of me.”

“Ha.” Gavin sniffed. “Do you really think he likes me?”

“It’s not very subtle Gav.” Ray rolled his eyes. “Dude thinks the world of you. That’s why I don’t get why you’re so… torn up over everything.”

“I don’t know.” Gavin shrugged. “Just… like, with the Geoff thing- what if I _do_ become king? Then how am I gonna be with Michael when he’s a prince! Or, wha-”

“Gav.” Ray cut him off. “Geoff would never ever stop you and Michael being together. He’d bend all the fucking rules in the book for you, you know that.”

The golden prince hung his head then, reaching up to toy with the golden broach that pinned his green felt cape around his shoulders. It had been a gift from Geoff, back when he was a child, and he cherished it even now, rubbing it between his fingers whenever he felt anxious or nervous. The broach was rounded, decorated with Geoff’s family crest. The broach was what reminded him of his _home_ , and his family.

Geoff had always bent the rules for Gavin. Perhaps marrying Michael wasn’t so far-fetched after all.

“Talk to him.” Ray urged, nudging Gavin gently with his shoulder. “Honestly, Gav. Michael fucking loves you to pieces. He always will.”

Gavin looked up then, and the two held solid eye contact for a few moments, until eventually, Gavin’s mouth broke out into a long-awaited grin.

“Thanks X-Ray.” He said, resting his head against Ray’s briefly. “You really are good at decision making, you know. You’ll make a bloody _brilliant_ queen and I’ll miss you, terribly so.”

Ray blushed. It was something he’d been thinking about, obviously, but it was strange to hear the title vocalised by somebody other than Gavin. _Queen_ , he toyed with the word in his head. _Queen Ray._

Gavin hopped down from the branch, pulling Ray with him. The two then set off back towards Achievement City, looping round the forest to pick up Michael on the way. The third brother was still sat loyalty atop the tree stump, a concerned frown on his face as he dragged a stick through the dirt until he heard their footsteps approaching.

Michael looked up, and his face became illuminated when his eyes settled on Gavin.

“Told you so.” Ray mumbled. Gavin only blushed, before taking Michael’s hand in his own and running away with him, a brief shout of thanks behind to Ray.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It didn’t take long for Ray to find his way back to Achievement City, but he walked slowly despite. It wasn’t like he’d made his mind up or anything, but it suddenly felt as if he was taking one last victory tour around the place he had called home for so many years. By the time he made it to the main square, stood atop the woollen logo as Ryan tended to his horse outside Kung-Fu House, Ray’s heart was heavy.

“Ray!” Ryan noticed him immediately, flashing a toothy grin. “I trust you had a wonderful evening.”

The prince couldn’t help but smile as he approached Ryan, tiptoeing up to kiss the King briefly on the cheek. Ryan smiled back, but Ray could see that there was something in his eyes that lingered sadness.

“What is it, Ry?”

“I’ll be leaving soon.” Ryan told him, rubbing at Edgar’s neck tenderly. “The peace treaty is being announced to the public tomorrow night and I suppose there won’t be much use for me here after that.”

“There will be.” Ray frowned. “Ryan- there always be a place for you here, you know that, and-”

“I’ve left my people alone for far too long, Ray.” Ryan interrupted him. “Believe me when I say I would wish nothing more than to stay here if I could to be with you every single hour…” he paused, and looked away from Ray, towards the sky as if he could make out his glorious kingdom from so far away. “…but I am a King.” Ryan sighed and Ray watched with something new glittering in his eyes. For the first time, Ray looked at Ryan and saw not in flashes, but in all his glory exactly what he truly was.

_A Ruler._

“I have responsibilities that I have neglected.” Ryan said, looking back towards him. “I fear if I am away any longer, my people will lose their respect and faith in me. I have to see to their needs.”

“So,” Ray sighed, rubbing the toe of his shoe in the dirt. “Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.” Ryan nodded. Slowly, he extended his hand towards Ray, who accepted it, clasping their hands together. Surprising them both, Ryan pulled him in roughly, wrapping Ray in a tight embrace.

“Oh, Rye.” Ray sniffed, surprised at how suddenly he had been overcome with emotion. Ryan pulled back slightly to hold Ray’s face between his, and his heart broke at the sight of the young prince with tears in his eyes. “I don’t want you to go.”

Ryan bit his lip. “I wish I could stay, but sadly- the stars just don’t align.” He looked up again to the sky briefly, before back to Ray’s impossibly dark eyes, brimming with tears. “Pretty rose.” He smiled, wiping the tears with the pad of his thumb. “Your eyes are far too enchanting to bother with such an unworthy task as crying.”

Ray smiled, but the tears did not stop from welling in his eyes. “I can’t help it.” He laughed, despite them both. “I’m just really, really going to miss you.”

“So come with me!” Ryan exclaimed, shaking Ray’s head slightly in his excitement. “Return with me to my kingdom and sit on my throne as queen-”

Ray shook his head. It took him a few moments to speak, jumbled thoughts of want and need and sensibility swirling in his mind. For days he had thought of nothing else but leaving with Ryan, but in that moment, when faced with the opportunity to make the dream a reality, he knew what had to be done.

“I can’t.” He frowned. “I’m sorry Ryan- I really do like you, but I’m not ready to just… up and leave in the middle of the night.”

“But Ray-”

“-I _can’t_ ” Ray snapped. Ryan’s touch vanished from his face, and the king took the slightest cautious step backwards. “I can’t.” Ray repeated, but quieter. He turned from Ryan to look around at the city centre, smiling tearfully as he took in every menial detail. “This is my home.” He turned back. “I’m not ready to leave it yet.”

“I understand.” Ryan said quietly. His mouth was pressed into a thin line, but Ray could see the hurt in his face in a single look. Immediately, nothing but guilt swirled in his gut as Ryan nodded with his hands clasped tightly behind his back. “I-Goodnight, Ray.” He turned, slowly. Ray opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out.

It wasn’t until the door to Kung Fu house creaked open and Ryan turned to take one last look that his legs found the courage to move and he took off in a run, straight behind Ryan, into his dwelling.

“Ray.” Ryan’s tone was warning, a dark look in his eyes as Ray pulled the door closed behind them. The young prince’s hand reached out gently to run across his forearm. “What are you doing?”

“Please?” Ray looked up to him, finger’s dancing at Ryan’s thick wrist. “Let me give you something to remember when you’re all alone in that tower?”

Ryan gulped.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The citizens liked to think that he was the purest, most virginal and innocent little prince to ever grace the lands- but once the door to the Kung Fu House was closed, Ryan finally understood that the entire perception the united kingdoms had of Ray couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Fuck Ryan- hurry up!” he whined, face down on the silk sheets of Ryan’s bed. “Fuck me- come on! Hurry _up_.”

“Patience.” Ryan chided, running his length teasingly up and down the swell of Ray’s ass until the prince was almost completely boneless, a whining panting mess who could hardly cry out much more than his name.

“So, I suppose you really aren’t as pure as you like the people to believe?” he asked, pressing just the head of his cock against Ray’s opening, but not pushing any further. He’d been toying with Ray for over half an hour, preparing him with oils and teasing and coaxing gentle moans out of his small mouth, but it had all been completely worth it by the time they were there, Ryan right at the border of the point of no return.

“Fuck what they think.” Ray bucked his ass up again in a feeble attempt as taking more than Ryan gave him, but he was only gifted with a stinging slap on the fatty cheek. “They think I’m a virgin but I’ve probably fucked half their precious sons.”

“Is that supposed to rile me up?” Ryan asked with a smirk, rubbing his thumb overt the inside of Ray’s thigh. “Little tales of you whoring yourself out for half the kingdom. Am I supposed to be jealous?”

“You can be whatever you want to be. I’m not a whore- I just know how to get what I want.” Ryan could practically hear the grin in Ray’s voice as he pushed back again. Ryan gave him what he wanted as he had been doing the whole time, tapping his ass until it was cherry red. The feigned yelp of pain every time sent shockwaves through his body, and if he was honest- Ray really must’ve known completely what he was doing because Ryan was hardly even inside the boy and already wanted to blow his load.

“You certainly do.” Ryan hissed, daring to push in a little more. “You’ve got me here questioning my decency. I’m starting to think being sweet and gentle will get me nowhere.”

“You’re starting to think right then.” Ray leant up on his elbows, craning his head around so he could smirk at the king. “Here’s me thinking you’d be an _excellent_ fuck. Guess I was-”

Ray’s words were cut off with a cry when, quite suddenly, Ryan pushed in as far as he could until their hips were flushed together. Ray’s knees buckled immediately and he fell lower so that most of his body was pressed into the bed, ass only raised slightly by the fact that he was still on his knees. Ryan didn’t bother giving him a minute to adjust, just flattened his palm on the small of Ray’s back, forcing him into an arch, before drawing out and slamming back in again with the same intensity.

“ _Fuck_!” Ray cried, pressing his face forwards into the pillows to stifle the sounds spilling from his mouth as Ryan picked up the pace in his thrusts until the wet smacking of their skin together was louder than any noises Ray could successfully muffle. That was until Ryan reached forwards and dragged his head backwards with a fistful of hair.

“Don’t.” he said, fucking Ray faster with the new angle. “I want to hear you. You claim to be such a _vixen_ \- prove it to me.”

“And what if the others hear?” Ray asked, but the smirk on his face was obvious. Ryan moved one hand from the small of his back around to his abdomen, and tugged himself downwards until almost all of his weight was on Ray, pressed across his back.

“Let them hear.” He said into Ray’s ear. “I want everyone in the kingdom to know that after this, if they even dare touch you- they’re _dead_.”

After that- Ray didn’t hold back any longer. He pushed back into every thrust Ryan gave, moans growing higher in pitch and shorter in length until Ryan’s hand reached around to wrap around his cock, stroking him in rhythm to his thrusts until Ray could barely make out the syllables to shout his name.

It was almost as if Ryan could sense the moment he was about to come- because he stilled every movement completely, and leaned down to Ray’s ear again.

“Say _please_.” He instructed, nipping at the lobe. Ray groaned, leaning his head back to rest against Ryan’s as he squirmed desperately, unable to gain any leverage with Ryan’s deadlock grip.

“Please.” He relented. “Please Ryan. Let me come?”

Ryan tugged at his cock quickly until Ray couldn’t hold on anymore and came with a shout, spilling all over Ryan’s hand and the sheets beneath them. His body, briefly after tensing, went completely boneless and he collapsed face down, just as Ryan pulled out and rolled him over onto his back.

“Not… gonna come… inside me?” Ray panted as Ryan parted his thighs and rested his still rock hard length between them.

“No,” Ryan shook his head, hand wrapping around the base of his cock. “I want you to be able to remember the feeling of this, every moment of my absence until I return.”

Ray closed his eyes then, and after a few breaths he felt Ryan release over his abdomen. It almost burned into him, like Ryan was marking his territory with his own fire, burning Ray’s body from the inside out so he would be completely useless to anyone else.

And after the initial moment of bliss, Ray couldn’t help but crumple.

“What is it- Ray- what’s wrong?” Ryan stroked at his hair gently, rolling over to lay beside him. “Please, Ray- talk to me. did I do something wrong?”

“No!” Ray shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. “That was… it was so nice that I forgot for a sec that you were leaving.”

“Ray.” Ryan sighed, resting his face in the crook of Ray’s neck. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I have to leave.”

“No matter.” Ray shook his head, turning over slightly so he could face Ryan as he wiped the tears from his face, frustrated. “I love you- alright?”

“I love you too.” Ryan replied, without a beat of hesitation. It felt so _right_ hearing the words from the King's mouth, Ray suddenly realised that he never wanted to hear anything else, ever again. “I will love you for as long as you will let me.” Ryan promised.

“So you’ll wait for me?” Ray asked.

“Every day. I won’t so much as look at another soul knowing that I have you here, waiting for me.”

Ray leant into Ryan then, resting his face against the King’s broad chest. The steady thump of Ryan’s heartbeat vibrated underneath, soothing him into a gentle sleep as Ryan’s large hand pulled its way gently through his hair.

“Sometimes,” Ryan said quietly. “I feel as if you were made completely for me. And… I wonder what I ever could’ve done in a past life to warrant such an honour.”

“Hey.” Ray rolled over so he could face up at the king. “Isn’t that a line from one of your poems?”

“A new one.” Ryan smiled. “I’m still writing it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, the next chapter of this fic will be the last! Hope you've all enjoyed it so far, and any comments are much appreciated. Tell me what you think! :)


	5. Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue of the story :) Hope you all enjoyed!

Epilogue.

Dearest Ray,

I miss you more and more as every minute passes. Life on the throne has never been so tedious to me! I used to enjoy ruling as sport but now I find myself so often drifting off and thinking of you. My new advisor scolds me for it constantly. However, I can’t help but think of how excited I am for you to join me at my side.

The plans for your coronation have begun. I’m not particularly involved; I usually leave festivity planning up to Meg as she has more of an eye for designs than I do. She said the colours are going to be red, gold and blue- a combination of my family crest and the ones your family adorned in the rose kingdom. I hope you like it.

Enclosed is a few new poems I have been working on in my spare time- but I wanted you to read them before I sent them to my publisher. The entire collection is dedicated to you, after all. I have also been practicing my botany magic. I cast the fertile spell over my gardens as you suggested and the magnolias are blooming beautifully. I was going to have roses planted too, but I suppose you would rather me wait for you to get here.

As the days grow closer to me seeing you, my excitement only builds. Until then, all my love.

_Ryan._

(This letter has been personally penned by _James Ryan Haywood the Third, Dark God of the Dark Realms and its Land, otherwise known as; The Mad King_ and will be hand delivered to Achievement City post haste)

 

* * *

 

 

To Ryan,

I get so excited every time one of your letters arrives in the city, it’s embarrassing. Michael and Gavin tease me about it, but I can’t help myself. I cherish every-one, especially the poetry. The ones you sent this time are just as beautiful as all the others, and I have copied them into the leather bound book you sent me. however, I like to also keep your handwritten copies, and read them at night when I miss you.

It’s been far too many weeks since your last visit, and I am so excited for us to be reunited. However, I can admit to you that I am nervous and worried about leaving my family behind. I know Geoff and everyone will journey up to the north for the coronation, but I suppose it will be strange not seeing them all every single day.

I liked _Impossible Harvest_ the best out of the three poems you sent. The others were beautiful, but that one was my favourite. You should definitely publish those. Also, I’m glad the spell I sent worked. I know sometimes the results aren’t instant and you’re ridiculously impatient, but it’s nice to see nature work for itself with little help, isn’t it? You’ll see when I plant the roses in the royal gardens. I won’t use a single lick of magic- I’ll just tend to them the way the gods intended.

The coronation colours sound beautiful, and I’m sure Meg is doing an excellent job. I trust her with the event far more than I trust you! Forgive me, Ryan, but you’ve never had an exceptional attention to festivities. Hopefully, it won’t drone on for too long and we can sneak away together. It’s been so long since I’ve felt you and I miss your touch. We’ll have to get reacquainted with each other as soon as possible.

Geoff changed the laws in Achievement City officially today so Michael and Gavin can be married. They’re not ready for that yet, obviously, but Michael has asked for Gavin’s hand. I think it’s more symbolic for now. Actually getting married would require far too much effort and neither of them have the attention span.

Speaking of weddings, I was thinking next winter would be perfect for ours. I love the snow, and I never get to see it here, but I know where you are, the snow is thick and pure. Also, it will only be two seasons after my coronation, so the public can’t complain that we’re ungodly or whatever.

I can’t wait to see you. Honestly. I love you with all my heart.

(no homo)

Ray xx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos appreciated as always, hope you all enjoyed this journey. Check out my other fics!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, Kudos etc appreciated- and feel free to HMU on tumblr (PAPERKS1N.tumblr.com)
> 
> Q: What do you think of Ryan's intentions with Ray? Can he be trusted?


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